sequel to Baby, I need you previously untitled
by PJC
Summary: Sequal to Baby, I need you. Another addition to the family, the wedding and discovery about what Ecklie was thinking and planning. Coming to a close, saner sequel out soon where it'll get back on track. GSR. Needs title ideas, 'Baby, ...'
1. Too perfect for a dream

_The promised sequel to Baby, I need you (previously untitled suggestions welcome) btw for return readers it was equal between My Heart's Desire and Baby, I need you. I went for the baby one as that way I could use both (could use My Heart's Desire for another one) it helps if that has been read first, but isn't wholly necessary, just the last 2 or 3 chapters need to be read._

_Summary: Sequel to Baby, I need you. Another addition to the family, the wedding and discovery about what Ecklie was thinking and planning._

_Not much else I can think of to say really, don't really know where it's going to go yet. We can find out together._

_Fessing Up: Don't own any of the CSI's or lab techs or Brass etc. They all belong to other people (damn them) and I won't own them by next chapter either, but not gonna tell you every time. If part way through I end up owning them I will let you know. Until then, this fanfic is MINE but that's about it._

_Please help me with the title again. I really suck at titles. I NEED help on them._

_Please review so I can get an idea of where you think I should go and so I know whether to carry on. P x_

* * *

Sara looked at Grissom, her eyes almost pleading, she didn't dare voice what her eyes were saying as she knew he would give in. She wanted to go back to work, her maternity leave was up and she was ready. She just wasn't ready to leave her babies alone. She knew they would be in perfectly safe hands with the nanny her and Grissom had hired to look after them. She still didn't want to leave them.

She had meant to go back the month before (when her 6 months was up) but on that occasion she had voiced her concerns and Grissom had been only too happy to schedule her another month off immediately. He knew she wanted to return back to work and so didn't say anything, but he was also concerned about leaving the babies alone. Harmony and Ella were only just over 7 months old and he wanted to be sure they were safe.

His eyes showed the same as Sara as he returned her gaze, both determinedly said nothing, for fear something would be said which both wanted to be said, but didn't dare ot say. Grissom drew Sara into his embrace, holding her close, trying to offer her all the support she could. He rubbed his hands up and down her back, comforting her and trying to sooth her back, which was tense from carrying around the extra weight.

He moved to stand behind her, chin resting on her shoulder, arms around her waist, she placed her hands over his. He glanced down to where there hands were, smiling before he spoke to her.

"I don't know why we're so nervous, another 2 and a half months and you'll be back here again and not in work anyway."

"I still can't believe I'll only be in work for that long. I'm only just going back from one maternity leave, and then I'll be leaving for another." She said, also smiling down at the bump, already easily noticeable.

They both stood, eyes glazed over, smiling for a moment before Sara began speaking again.

"I still blame you you know."

"You seemed more than up for it at the time." He reminded her.

"I wasn't the one who decided to use an old condom."

"You didn't want me to go to the shop!" He defended himself. "How was I to know it was past it's date?"

"Errrr...checking on the packet maybe? Just for a suggestion."

"Yeah, well I still say hotel rooms ought to have some in anyway." Grissom muttered sullenly. Sara chuckled, her mind drifting back to Nick's birthday. She still didn't know how he had persuaded them to leave Ella and Harmony with someone else that early on. However he had managed it he had got them both to his birthday. A hired hall in a hotel with all his family and friends there, unfortunately after a night full of dancing (even without alcohol) Sara and Grissom had decided to book a hotel room on the spot for the night. Everyone else was due to drinking too much, and Sara had decided they could do with a full nights sleep and that the sitter was paid all the way through till the morning anyway and had agreed to sleep there, she still didn't know how she had had the strength to leave them then.

Both had gone up to the hotel room and soon both had lost all ideas about sleep.

Grissom joined in her chuckling, "It was fun though." He reminded her. She reached back a hand and cupped his face, "It was. Not fun for my back though. I'd only just lost all the baby weight before I started putting more on. I still blame you for this Gil Grissom." She turned around to face him. "I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world though." She said softly before her lips met his gently.

After a few moments she pulled back. "Come on, let's get to work before I change my mind." Grissom opened his mouth to speak, Sara shot a quick look in his direction. Grissom quickly shut his mouth again. Sara couldn't resist making him sweat for a moment. "Go on Gil. What were you about to say?" He considered for a moment. "Nothing dear."

Sara opened her mouth to annoy him further but decided against it and simply smiled. "I'll just go check on them both once more." Grissom took hold of her hand and dragged her out of the room after him. She started objecting but he continued to move out of the door. He led her down to the car and quietly got in. They had been driving for a short while before she spoke, her voice clear, but he could still hear her worry underneath it.

"Thank You."

He grinned at her. "What for?" She smiled gently at him, thankful for him simple support.

* * *

They pulled up outside of work. Sara hadn't come in much after the first few days and was surprised at the pleasant feeling which entered her as she looked at the building. It was like returning home after a long time away. Similar to the feeling she felt when Grissom had returned each morning after work, or the feeling she had got before whenever she had returned to their town house after a particularly trying day at work before she had gone on leave.

Grissom slipped his arm about her shoulders as they walked in, he signed them both in with Judi while Sara stood close to him. She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and quickly flipped her head in the direction of the movement. Looking she saw nothing there, no-one was stood there. She peered closer into the darkness and still saw nothing. She became aware of Grissom squeezing her shoulders slightly.

"You ok sweetie?"

"Yeah ... yeah I thought I just saw ... doesn't matter." Grissom looked at her, slightly concerned but was relieved when he saw her look back at him with a smile. "I'm fine" She assured him, she slung an arm around his waist and walked down the corridor to the locker room with him.

* * *

Ecklie breathed out, he hadn't realised how much he had tensed when she had looked in his direction. He stayed hidden in the shadows watching Sara and Grissom heading the other way.

"Just you wait Miss. Sidle. You think you can seduce your boss, leave work without warning, leave work again for maternity, and then leave again? Oh yes, I've finally got enough reason to fire you." He breathed out, every word dripping with hatred as he thought of her and Grissom, and how they had messed up work, and both fought against his power.

He didn't know why he felt so determined to get rid of her and to make her suffer. He also didn't care. He would bring her down, and he would crush Grissom as he did it.

A dark smile curled across his face, and his eyes glittered in the darkness. He stepped out of the shadows and walked down the corridor to his office, a low laugh escaping his lips as he entered. He sat at his desk, leaving the lights off, and began contemplating different ways of bringing Sara down and which way would publicly humiliate her the most.

* * *

Sara sat unaware that her downfall was been plotted elsewhere in the buidling. She was joking amongst her friends, glad to be back at work. She had seen them all at various points during her leave but she hadn't seem them altogether since Nick's birthday, a sly smile flickered across her face momentarily as she realised that and her thoughts turned to that night. She went back to smiling normally at her friends as they filled her in more on what she had missed and just bantered amongst themselves.

Without even meaning to she got involved in a debate between Nick and Warrick, she argued her cause with as much strength if not more than the others. Grissom leaned on the counter watching her slot seamlessly back in. It was as though she had never been gone. Her eyes caught his for a moment and she grinned at him, he smiled back at her watching as she turned her attention back to Nick and knocked his argument out from under him, Warrick just laughed at her. Sara beamed with the delight of having won before turning to speak to Catherine.

Grissom thought his heart would burst as he watched her, both with love and with pride. Not only had she agreed to marry him and loved him, she was also one of the best CSI's he had ever worked with, she had just managed to beat Nick's arguement which Warrick had been trying to do for months and she had given him hope again, along with two beautiful daughters.

A smile lingered on his face as he watched her, he was so caught up with it that he didn't notice Nick come and stand next to him until he spoke.

"She loves you too you know?"

Grissom looked at the man next to him, still smiling. "I know it, I'm still having problems believing it though. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and find it's all just a dream."

"Griss, it's too perfect to be a dream." With that Nick walked off, trying to work out a flaw in Sara's point which left his argument valid. Grissom pondered over what Nick had meant. '_It's too perfect to be a dream'_

Sara realised he was watching her and turned to face him again. She smiled broadly at him before turning back to Catherine again. Grissom understood now what Nick meant, it was too perfect to be a dream. Even in his wildest dreams he couldn't have imagined something this good. It had to be real, there was no way it could be comprehended unless it was felt.

A grin crossed his face as it finally seemed to sink in that Sara was here to stay, that it was real, that life really had worked out this well, that she really did love him. Nothing could take her away from him, his final barrier broke down as that thought struck, he let himself feel everything, he now knew that she wouldn't run away and leave him, he finally took a chance on letting his whole feelings be realised, he could not cope without her, and he now knew it. He also knew nothing could take her away from him, or him from her.

* * *

Ecklie sat, still pondering in his office. An idea slowly began to creep into his mind.

He knew what to do to bring her career down, nothing could stop him now, he would bring her down, and Grissom would be crushed. Crushed enough that they would surely split up, that would teach them both. Sara for seducing her boss, and Grissom when he realised she had never cared about him and that the children had been an accident, and that she had only done it to move higher up.

A grin spread across his face. He now just needed to wait for the best moment and then it would work.

* * *

No nothing could ever break them up now, not after all they had gone through together. A relief swept through Grissom as he finally let himself realise it. Nothing could get to them. He would never leave her, he loved her too much.

* * *

Ok what was trying to say didn't really come across here. Will try and explain better in later chapters.

_Let me know what you think, if it is worth carrying on with._

_Thanks_

_P_


	2. Early leave, big cookie

_Also doing short ish chapters in this story just so you know. Hopefully will post next chapter, sooner than I posted this one._

* * *

"Sara, I want you to go on maternity leave soon." Sara finished letting the nightie fall over her head and over her before she looked at him.

"I already am going on maternity leave soon. I have to leave in a month, when there's 2 weeks left." She replied as she walked towards the bed and began pulling the covers back.

"I know, I want you to go on maternity leave in two weeks." He stated as she lay down next to him in bed. He reached out to pull her closer but she sat up and looked down at him instead.

"Grissom, you know I'd go insane if I was by myself and didn't have any work to do. Having to leave 2 weeks before is bad enough. Anyway you let me stay up until when I delivered last time."

He calmly looked back at her. "That was before you decided to give birth, with complications and surprises, during a storm when we couldn't get you to a hospital."

She pouted at him. "We went to the hospital later to have them checked out. When it had re-opened."

"Sara, please, do this for me. I don't want to risk anything happening to you or the baby. I'll come and join you for the second week. You'll only be on your own for one week."

She pouted some more, hoping to win him around. He said nothing. Sara finally glared at him, knowing even a week on her own would drive her mad. In the end Grissom tried to bargain with her.

"I'll buy a cookie." She continued to glare. "And a cheesecake, toffee. All to yourself, you don't have to share." Grissom smiled slightly, he knew she had a weakness for cookie's and cheesecake, especially toffee.

Sara glared for a moment before she succumbed. "Chocolate chip cookie?" He nodded. She sat back down and lay next to him in bed.

"Better be a big one." She muttered quietly as he pulled her closer until they lay spoon fashion.

"The biggest one in the shop." He promised before kissing the top of her head, pulling the top of her head, and closing his eyes.

* * *

Sara awoke to find Grissom already watching her. She smiled gently as she looked at him, he lent forward and kissed her lips quickly then pulled back and looked at her again.

"So, when you getting me this cookie and cheesecake then?" She asked, slightly impatient and annoyed.

"Good morning to you too, and I was thinking the cookie on the first shift you are on leave, and then the cheesecake on the third." Seeing her nonplussed look he tried to please her and make her happier about his request. "And if you still agree then I'll buy you a bonus cookie on the way into work today." Her look improved but she still didn't smile properly at him.

"Chocolate chip?" He nodded. "Get me a gingerbread man too?"

"I'll get you 2 gingerbread men." She smiled suddenly.

"You want competition from two other men instead of one?"

"I'll have things over both of them."

"What things?" She asked still smiling.

"Well, height for one thing and two, neither of them can do this ..."

He leant forward again and kissed her deeply. By the time he pulled back she was breathless.

"Ok," she said after a moment, "You'll always have that over them." She smiled gently at him. "I _hate _you sometimes. No man should be able to still make anyone feel this ... weak, after they have already had two kids together, have a third on their way, and can still use it to win arguments." She muttered at him, still breathless, after another moment.

He grinned at her. "Would you really want it any other way?" He asked.

"No." She answered, "I'm just glad I can still do the same to you." She said quietly before kissing him strongly. When she pulled back she was glad to see he was breathless now as well.

"Damn. You're right."

They grinned foolishly at each other for a moment. In the end Grissom spoke. "Ok, enough grinning and kisses which still have the same power as a first kiss. We need to get up now. Otherwise I'll end up laying here watching you all day." Sara opened her mouth to speak but decided against it and let him pull her up. She followed him, still holding his hand as he headed towards the kitchen. He sat her down and began making her breakfast for her.

She knew she should have been getting ready, having a shower or cleaning up. But she was just content to sit there and watch him move about the kitchen as he made breakfast. Especially seen as he was still walking around with only his boxers on.

* * *

They headed in to work and Sara looked all about in while Grissom signed them in, checking to see if she caught sight of anything like she had before. She relaxed when she saw nothing. Grissom also glanced around but when he saw Sara relax and look back at him he smiled and led her to the break room. Grissom went towards his office to get the assignments after he dropped Sara off at the break room with everyone else.

For months they now hadn't been the first ones in and the last ones out, both having something happy outside of work, meaning they didn't stay in work as much, and found themselves leaving with everyone else, eager to get home to Ella and Harmony. Grissom picked up the assignments and headed back to the break room.

He was greeted by Catherine questioning him. "You asked Sara, the workaholic out of all of us, to leave for maternity a week early?"

Grissom glanced at Sara. "Guessing you told them." She smiled weakly at him, Catherine began questioning him again.

"You made her stay at home on her own for a week without you?"

"She won't be alone, she'll have Ella and Harmony with her."

"But still Grissom. You ..." Grissom cut her off.

"Catherine I have to give out assignments, if you want to quiz me on our break that's fair enough. But right now we have work to do." Catherine stared at him shocked, so shocked that she couldn't reply. The rest of the team, also shocked, still smiled at Catherine's speechlessness. Grissom suppressed a smile as he gave out the assignments which had come in since the day before and sent the team away to either start or carry on.

Just as he dismissed them, Brass walked in.

"Great news everybody. We have no Ecklie here for Two Whole Weeks. He had an appendicitis and was forced to go to hospital. He is going to be fine, except maybe a little annoyed at missing two weeks. But ... no Ecklie!"

The team cheered as he finished speaking. Sara smiled the most however, she would now not have to see him at all, even the possibility of him until after she came back from maternity leave. She couldn't think of a better send off.


	3. The Look

_Time line jumps slightly but nm, I couldn't end on Ecklie's final thought here. It was just too ... evil? depressing? etc. So Grissom is saying it as it happens, Ecklie is remembering. And Catherine seeing same event, let you work out tense and everything, just realised this chapter is too short so putting her in, add a 3D feel to it._

_And Yes OK. I really don't like Ecklie in this fic._

_Sorry for not posting for so long. Will try and post sooner next time if I can._

* * *

Ecklie groaned and collapsed back into the hospital bed. He had planned to put his plan into action that night. He had planned to wait till after the pregnancy until he had seen Sara and Grissom walking down the corridor, his arm wrapped around her shoulder. Just talking, but looking perfectly happy. They had seen him and Sara's smile had immediately dropped and Grissom's arm had tightened protectively around her as one of her hands moved to protect her bump.

At that moment Ecklie had realised his mistake. He had been waiting for the time to hurt them both the most, he had been waiting for them to be happy after the birth of their next child. This would undoubtedly hurt Grissom more, but to hurt Sara ... why not make Grissom abandon her before she gave birth to his child? That would surely hurt her more than waiting after.

The idea had struck him and he had gone with it. He was planning to start that day. He had not gone in for the majority of day shift so that he didn't run into either of them early. He had gone in late and worked on paperwork in his office. The pain had started slowly at first, nagging at him, but bearable. Soon it had turned to unbearable pain that was almost enough to make him scream aloud. One of his employees (he couldn't bear to think of them as his ... team) had entered to drop off some paperwork, unaware his boss had come in. He had opened the door to see his boss laying on the floor, curled up in a protective ball. In pain. Before Ecklie could argue he had called an ambulance and Ecklie had found himself been driven to the hospital.

He had been told due to complications in his surgery they needed to monitor his position for a minimum of two weeks. He had argued, complained, cajoled and threatened but they had stayed firm, and he was determined not to check out against medical advise, he wanted to prove they were wrong.

'_No matter'_ he thought to himself as the nurse came in and began checking all the monitors and recording the results. _'She leaves for maternity leave in three weeks, she'll still be there for a week when I get back, there will still be time.'_

He allowed his mind to wander and found himself imagining what would happen in two weeks. _Grissom and Sara arguing ... Sara crying ... Grissom walking out of the door, slamming it on the way out, not looking back ... Sara collapsing sobbing uncontrollably._

A grin spread across his face as the nurse checked her final monitor. She glanced at his face, saw the grin and instinctively drew back. She would be happy when this one had gone. There was something undeniably ... evil about him. She could not help wondering what he was thinking about though. But when she heard a low chuckle escape him she knew she didn't want to know.

Ecklie barely noticed the nurse leaving. His mind was too caught up imagining different circumstances and glee at the look of pain on Sara's face each time. He couldn't help chucking and slid slowly down his pillows still laughing to himself.

* * *

Catherine sat in the layout room, she had combed through every piece of evidence twice and had found nothing. She was toying with the idea of going to ask Nick if anyone had said anything when he had been out speaking to them, or finding out if the DNA was back.

She stood up to leave and caught sight of Grissom and Sara walking up the corridor, too happy with each other to notice the rest of the world. She leaned against the doorway and watched them for a moment. She moved and caught sight of Ecklie heading down from the other end of the corridor. She didn't want to speak to him or even look at him right now so she withdrew slightly back into the room. She watched as Grissom's arm tightened and Sara's hand moved. She couldn't help wondering if anything had happened to get Sara so against Ecklie, more so than the rest of them. She watched a sneer crawl across Ecklie's face as he looked at Sara.

She fought down the urge to throw up, and fought down the even stronger urge to slap him. She relaxed slightly as Grissom and Sara passed him but grew apprehensive when she saw Ecklie stop walking and turn around. He didn't move he just watched them until they were out of sight. The low chuckle escaped him and a grin grew on his face. She turned away in disgust not wanting to see him any longer, and wanting to see the look on her face even less. She just hoped that Grissom and Sara were prepared for anything he was planning. Ecklie wouldn't have stopped and looked like that just from normal hatred. He had to be planning something.

* * *

Grissom walked towards the break room, his arm wrapped around Sara's shoulders. They had just been talking, about nothing special but both knew how much even just talking to each other meant to both of them, with that and the new baby coming, plus Ella and Harmony neither could think of a way life could be better and both were perfectly happy. He looked up and caught sight of Ecklie, he felt the smile fall from his face and subconsciously tightened his hold on her to support her and to remind her he was there should she need him. He also knew she must have spotted him as one hand moved to sit protectively on her bump. He couldn't blame her, after the things she had told him about Ecklie he knew how much she must hate him. He had marvelled at how civil she was with him when he found out and only some fast talking from her and his promise to stay with her that night had kept him from going in search of Ecklie and shouting and hitting him.

He saw an evil sneer come onto his face and knew he wouldn't like what he was thinking, especially as he was looking at Sara.

He moved past him without making eye contact, forcing himself to stare straight ahead and he could see Sara doing the same thing. After what seemed an eternity they ahd rounded a corner and were out of his sight. Both breathed out a sigh of relief as they rounded the corner. They were almost at break room but Grissom pulled Sara to a stop, turned to face her, took both her hands and looked into her eyes.

"Sara, I want you to know I won't hurt you ever again. I'm sorry, more sorry than you could know, for all the times I have in the past when I pushed you away. I promise I won't push you away again."

"I know." She whispered back softly.

"I'll always be here for you."

"I know" she whispered back again.

"I love you."

"Gil. I know. I love you too." She whispered finally before kissing him lightly, smiling softly at him, and leading him to the break room by the hand.


	4. Ecklie's Return

Ecklie strode confidently into work on his first morning back from hospital. He knew he would be doing paperwork all day which would have annoyed most CSIs, Ecklie was looking forward to it. He didn't have to go into the field, and he would be undisturbed. He quickly went into his office before heading towards the break room. His arrival was greeted with silence, he wasn't welcomed into the banter like the night supervisor was, his employees didn't carry on speaking until he motioned them to be quiet like Grissom's team did.

His employees immediately fell silent and moved to sit around the main table. Every single one of them hated him, he didn't have anyone even close to a friend in work, and all of them couldn't wait until the day one of them got his position or, even happier, he was fired. The last two weeks had been some of the best ones they had worked. They had not had Ecklie there, instead they either governed themselves or the other supervisors stepped in.

The times they had governed themselves had been awkward but manageable, the ones with the swing shift manager had been fun, they had hardly been aware he was a supervisor. But Gil Grissom, the enigmatic night shift supervisor, got all their respect and they found themselves inexplicable drawn to him, interested in his opinion, and then the simple challenge of making the man talk. They didn't know this had been a game for the night shift since they had all started and that Grissom was now good at recognising the signs.

They had ocassionally heard Eckile talk about him, it had always been with hatred, they had never known why but had assumed the worst. Within the one day he had been there supervisor they all realised, it was because Ecklie knew he could never measure up to him in anyway, and the only thing he had over him was power, which Gil Grissom had no desire for anyway. They also had no doubt that this was part of the reason they respected him.

All inwardly groaned as Conrad Ecklie walked into the room, but went about their normal routine, saying nothing, as before.

He silently handed out assignments to the people around the table, not making eye contact or even hardly looking up. He refused to be drawn into conversation when he stated he would be doing paperwork and he discouraged discussion amongst themselves with his steely glare.

All were relieved when he left, they were still use to his routine although mourned his return. He had still actually scared them that day. He had been smiling.

A smile which instead of lightening his face, darkened it, ensuring that all who saw it would always remember it and remember it with fear. And know for a certainty that the plans he was smiling about were cruel.

* * *

Ecklie entered his office and the smile on his face broadened, he could now sit there undisturbed all day, awaiting that night. He could be patient, he had no doubt. But that night was the night when he would finally get Sara Sidle.

* * *

Shift was almost over and Ecklie was barely managing to maintain his ... excitement, if it could be called that, his face determined. He turned over the sheet of paper he had been finishing and laid it in the out tray. He glanced at the sheet of paper which was now at the top of the pile.

A request for an earlier leave of paternity, he glanced at the dates and the shift, realised it was one of the night shift and smiled slightly as he signed it let Grissom deal with problems within his shift.

He laid it in his out tray and glanced at the next sheet. Another night shift request, he smiled again, more trouble for Grissom. He glanced at what it was, a request for an earlier leave of maternity leave, suspicions began to grow in his mind, he scanned through the page looking for the name.

He found it. He tore the top sheet from the out tray and looked for the name. He also found that one. He looked back towards the maternity leave request and his eyes sought out the name again, when they found it he stared at it, unable to take his eyes off it.

His scream could be heard all through almost all the CSI building, and could still be heard clearly even in the break room. His employees groaned, knowing there work would be even more miserable for the next few days than usual. All of them would rather have a bloated decomp than face Ecklie when he was annoyed.

The words in the scream were barely audible, just a string of curses were coming out mixed with a few names which they recognised and all feared for those people all happy that they weren't them at that moment.


	5. Who wants to hurt Sara?

_Woohoo! I actually own a character for once._

* * *

Catherine walked into the CSI building early, Lindsey had left for a sleepover at a friends and so with no reason to stay at home she came into work to try and catch up on paperwork, they would need as many free hands as they could get now that Sara had left the day before and Grissom was leaving next week so was trying to stick to lighter cases, ones which wouldn't draw on too long.

She'd just signed in and was heading towards the break room when she saw a figure running down the hall. She stepped to the side to let them pass but they stopped when they drew near her and grabbed her arm.

"Catherine, thank god, I needed someone from your shift."

"Chris, what's up?" She asked, more confused than concerned. She had been forced to help out the day shift when Grissom wanted some time with Sara while Ecklie was gone, she had been surprised to learn that Chris, an old high school friend who she had lost contact with was currently working there. As a result their friendship had begun growing again and now both ladies were once again good friends and Catherine knew when Chris was upset about something. She could see all the signs now.

Chris just groaned and rolled her eyes. "Ecklie?" Catherine asked.

"What else? But this time I actually need to tell you something. Sara's on your shift isn't she?" Catherine nodded, starting to become worried. Chris carried on. "Well, her and Grissom are in big trouble, and I mean _big. _Ecklie discovered their requests for earlier leaves the other day, he had to approve them and he did after he had torn up the papers for it and had to track down copies. That was when he was _calm _though that he tore the papers up. I don't know why but he is _majorly_ upset that they are leaving early. I was near enough to hear what he was saying when he found out."

"What did he say?"

"Something I refuse to repeat, even in your company and I know you know every word out there, even if you don't use them." Catherine was shocked, it must have been bad if _Chris_was refusing to say it. "But what I did catch was that he was planning something and now that Sara's gone its all fallen apart, it had something to do with the baby and Grissom and finally getting her. She's did something to upset him a long time ago and he's been obsessed with her since then, looks like he's finally doing something about it and his appendicitis got in the way, and now shes left early. Just keep an eye out Cath. Please."

Catherine clasped her friends hand, "Will do, can you tell me anything else?"

"Sorry no, I really can't. I'll have a dig around. But I have to go right now. I'll talk to you later if I find anything out."

Catherine squeezed Chris' hand, more to reassure herself than anything else and watched as Chris hurried away.

She carried on making her way to the break room, her mind racing as she thought about what she could do if anything. She thought about telling Grissom but knew he wouldn't leave her on her own. Catherine was worried but knew that anything odd would make Sara worried as well. She decided to keep an eye on things herself, and tell Grissom when he started his leave, that way he could keep an eye on Sara and still not make her worry.

* * *

Grissom finished giving out the assignments, all the team were subdued, a large caseload had come in and normally the only people that made happy were Grissom and Sara the workaholics and Sara usually managed to cheer them up even if it was just because they were laughing at her not with her. All were missing her company today, Catherine however seemed more out of sorts than the others, Grissom decided to keep an eye on her for a while, aware that something was up, he saw Warrick keep glancing at her and knew she would be alright if they both looked out for her.

"Alright. We've got a lot of work to get through. Let's get started." Grissom said, the usual passion at a large caseload gone, he was also obviously missing Sara, she had just come back to work and she was already gone again. Another reason he used to like large caseloads was that both he and Sara were guarenteed to pull overtime, while the team was there the work kept his mind off Sara, and while they were gone he got to spend time with Sara and try to think about the case.

They all groaned and with varying degrees of speed stood up and started heading towards the door. Catherine remained sat there, her assignment laying unread in front of her, unaware that everyone else had gone.

Warrick and Grissom looked at each other over the table. "Go start your case Warrick. I'll stay with Catherine." He said quietly, Warrick nodded and reluctantly started towards the door. He hesitated as he opened it, Grissom smiled slightly and nodded at him, Warrick left the break room, glancing behind him all the way down the corridor until they were out of sight.

Grissom sat down next to Catherine.

"Cath? What's up?" He asked softly.

"I don't know." She muttered back her voice sad until she spoke again a moment later and her voice was angry. Angry and frustrated, "I don't know Grissom! That's what's so bloody annoying!" She whispered still angry as she beat a fist at the table once, her voice breaking and a single tear leaking down her cheek.

Catherine had been his longest friend but he still didn't quite know what to do. He started to reach a hand out to lay on top of hers when she suddenly sighed, stood up and started pacing.

"Grissom I really don't know. I don't what he's planning. I don't know why he's planning it. I don't know why it started. I don't know how it's going to end. I don't know why he wants to hurt you. I don't know why he wants to hurt Sara." She stopped her pacing and looked directly at him. "I just don't know." She muttered, her angry finally gone as she broke. She no longer knew what to do, she began pacing again.

Grissom had been trying to follow her but his mind had stopped listening and started working as soon as she mentioned Sara's name. Grissom suddenly strode over to her and grabbed both her arms and stopped her pacing.

"Catherine. Please tell me. What were you saying about Sara? Who wants to hurt her?"

"I don't know Grissom." She suddenly screamed. "That's whats so damn annoying. I'm part of the best CSI team in the country and I've played and replayed everything over in my head and I still have no idea about any of it."

"Catherine. Who wants to hurt Sara?"

Catherine ignored his question as she began thinking. "Why does he hate her so much though? What did she ever do to him? I've replayed every conversation in my head and there were no clues, nothing. What can we do when we have no evidence to follow? I mean we can't just go and ask him outright can we. We can't just barge into his office and bellow "What on earth are you planning Ecklie?" can we?"

"Ecklie?" Grissom asked, his voice low. Before Catherine could reply Grissom was already striding down the corridor towards his office, Catherine cahsing after him.


	6. Sara's story to tell

"What on earth are you planning with Sara?" Grissom screamed as he crashed into Ecklie's office leaving the door swinging on its hinges.

Ecklie looked up, fear and anger in his eyes.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing Grissom?" He shouted back staring at the man in front of him. Grissom ignored him and walked further forward until he was almost crashing not Ecklie's desk and standing opposite him.

"I'm finding out what you're planning to do to Sara." He answered now, his voice low, and far more dangerous than his shouting had been.

"Listen Gil, I don't know what you've heard but why would I do anything to Sara? I detest that woman."

"You didn't use to." He growled quietly. Ecklie watched him, to scared now to reply. "Conrad, you know perfectly well what I mean so don't try and play dumb with me. You've hurt her before and I am not going to let you hurt her again." He said before silently turning and walking out of the door, leaving a confused Ecklie behind him.

He strode down the corridor, eye's blazing, head down, hands clenching and unclenching into fists as he fought his desire to go back to Ecklie's office and punch him.

* * *

As he strode down the corridor he crashed straight into Catherine. She grabbed his arms and pulled him to a stop.

"Grissom, talk to me, what did he say? Did he tell you anything about Sara?"

"Catherine he told me nothing." He said, his face neutral, showing no expression.

"Grissom he had to have told you something. What's he going to do?"

"I don't know Catherine. But I'm not going to let him hurt her again." He turned to go but Catherine kept hold of him and forced him to stay where he was.

"You said again. He's done this before."

"He's hurt her before Catherine. I'm not going to let him hurt her again. I'll do everything I can to keep her safe."

"What did he do before?" Catherine asked softly.

"That's not my story to tell Catherine." He muttered and Catherine noticed the tear trickling down his cheek. She could tell that his neutral tone had been in an effort to not break. Finally he gave way and Catherine saw more tears slowly slide down his cheeks and suddenly found herself holding onto him as he sobbed into her shoulder.

* * *

Sara sat happily balancing Ella on her knee while Harmony sat on her mat, leaning up against a cushion chewing on a plastic block.

Ella happily gurgling as she bounced her up and down on her knee. She heard a loud knock at the door and confused glanced at Harmony to make sure she was fine and placed Ella down on the mat next to her. She glanced down at them both again as she made her way to the door. She heard something hard hit the wood and heard the sound reverberate around the house. She suddenly grew mildly afraid and continued her approach apprehensively.

She turned the key to unlock the door and then pulled it open cautiously. She had a momentary glance of Grissom stood at the door, head bowed before she felt herself pulled into his embrace as he held her close.

Sara held him as well, unsure why he needed comforting but held him anyway. She heard him sobbing quietly and felt him shaking slightly, she held him closer and placed a hand on the back of his head.

After a few moments the shaking and the sound stopped and he stepped back. Sara silently stood back and he entered the house but didn't move further than a few steps past her. She shut the door and started walking towards him, "Lock the door" he told her hoarsely. "Just in case." Sara did as he asked without questioning it. He waited for her to come closer towards him before continuing and never stood more than a step away from her as she made her way back to the sofa and picked Ella back up. Grissom also picked up Harmony and sat on the sofa close to Sara.

He gently touched Harmony's hair and then Ella's hand before looking back at Sara.

"Gil? What's up? " He didn't answer. "Why are you home so early? You must have only been there an hour if that including assignments."

"Catherine sent me home."

"Why?" She asked gently.

"So that I wasn't in the building as Ecklie."

"What happened with Ecklie?" Sara asked, slightly nervous, she hated speaking about him unless they had to.

"I was about to go punch him." Sara just looked back at Grissom, the question in her eyes. "I'll tell you about it later. I just want to enjoy been home tight now, with you, knowing your safe." Sara opened her mouth to ask him what he meant but saw the begging in his eyes for her to not question him about it, and she knew the answer would only hurt them both so decided not to bring it up yet.

"I think Ella's actually trying to chew my finger off over here." She said lightly, a slight smile on her face, she saw how grateful Grissom was when he looked up at her and returned her smile.


	7. Tell me

Grissom rested his chin on Sara's shoulder as he held her close from behind, arms around her waist, resting on her bump, as they gazed down at their two children. Sara leaned her head back so that it was resting on his. He smiled and murmured to her.

"You know, we really are lucky that our 2 beautiful daughters sleep at the same time." Sara smiled gently. "We're also lucky to have 2 beautiful daughters, a third child on the way and to have each other."

"I know." Sara whispered back. "Now, why don't we take advantage of the fact that they sleep at the same time and we can go to sleep as well." He smiled and released her except her hand which he used to lead her to their bedroom.

Sara changed and slipped into bed as Grissom went to go grab a quick drink from the kitchen. He entered the room and saw her laying in the bed, eyes closed a light smile on her face, he was blown away by the image and smiled.

A pang came to him as he realised just how much he would lose if anything happened to her to make him lose her. He stayed smiling leaning against the door-frame for a few minutes longer before changing and slipping quietly into the bed.

Sara turned around and faced him. "You're still awake." He stated.

"Yeah, I wanted to ask you something."

Grissom took hold of her hand and kissed it before simply holding it, waiting for her to continue.

"Why did you come home early?" Grissom became slightly apprehensive but knew that Sara needed an answer even though he didn't wish to talk about it yet.

"I told you Catherine sent me home."

"Well then why did Catherine have to send you home? And don't just tell me so that you didn't hurt Ecklie."

"Catherine felt I needed to come home." Sara simply looked at him in the dim light coming through the window curtains. Even though he couldn't clearly see her due to the lack of light he still knew what expression she had on her face.

He finally fully opened up about it.

"She knew I needed to come home and see you. I wouldn't have left work, but I wouldn't have worked well, I would've spent the whole time worrying about you."

"Gil, we've been over this, you'll be home in a week anyway, this might not be the way we want it but I'll be fine."

"I know you would be if circumstances weren't like this."

"Circumstances? What circumstances?"

"Ecklie" Grissom almost spat the word out.

Sara took a deep breath and replied calmly, keeping her voice calm despite the anger and slight fear running through her.

"Gil, Ecklie has always been there, he has always been the same, we know he won't change, he can't do anything to us anymore. He can't hurt me anymore, I've got you now. He wouldn't try to hurt he anymore."

"He is." Grissom replied quietly, more speaking to himself than Sara, he felt her hand grip his tighter.

"What do you mean?"

"He isn't going to manage anything anyway, I won't let him hurt you."

Sara looked at him in the darkness, her eyes pleading, he saw this despite the lack of light.

"Gil, I still want to know. I still _need _to know. Please tell me what you mean and what he's planning."

Grissom slowly revealed the incidents since he had arrived at work and met Catherine and what had happened to Catherine before the shift. Sara lay there silently taking it all in. After he stopped she still said nothing for a while. "Thank you." She murmured quietly.

"I love you Sara." Grissom murmured back.

"I love you too." She replied, kissing him gently before rolling over to face the other way. After a moment Grissom felt her shoulders shaking and heard her muffled sobs, he reached an arm out and pulled her closer until they were laying spoon-fashion. He simply held her, one hand on the pillow stroking her hair, the other holding her close and resting on her stomach protectively.

He said nothing as he held her, she needed to let it out, he had earlier, for now she just needed his support, eventually she fell asleep from sheer exhaustion. She stirred restlessly in her sleep, occasionally murmuring things and tossing and turning. Grissom knew she was having nightmares about what had happened before and what could now happen in the future and held her close, providing what support he could.

He himself could not fall asleep and lay there all night, remembering his best times with her or her and their daughters, the realisation slowly dawning that he couldn't survive without her. He didn't believe Ecklie would actually kill her but his mind still raced, moving from pleasant memories to visions of searching weeks for Sara and then finding her body, different ways each time, each one worse than the last.


	8. I'm staying, Could he wait?

Sara awoke groggily to find Grissom still holding her closely and still stroking her hair. She turned her head to look over her shoulder and saw that he was awake. She could tell instantly that he hadn't slept.

"Morning" She murmured sleepily. Grissom replied by kissing her temple, she smiled breifly before she woke up properly.

"You need to go now."

"What?" Grissom asked quickly, confused and scared.

"I meant you need to leave now if you want to get to work on time."

"I'm not going to work."

"Gil, you don't need to stay home with me. You need to go to work."

"I won't be able to work anyway and Catherine will only send me home again. Besides I'd be too busy worrying about you to do anything useful."

"I'll be fine."

"I know."

"You're still not going into work are you?"

"No"

"Gil, he isn't going to hurt me. He might try but he couldn't come here anyway, he'd try anything at work, why else would he have been so annoyed that I wasn't in work?"

"I'm still staying home with you just in case."

Sara was about to reply when they heard a slight snuffle from the next room which began getting louder and louder.

"I'll go get her before she wakes her sister. I'll talk to you when I've got her sorted." She said before climbing out of bed and hurrying to the next room. Grissom heard the sounds of Sara comforting one of their daughters and walking into the kitchen.

Soon she walked back into the room carrying Harmony, Grissom smiled as she climbed back into bed and sat next to him. Harmony still not quite awake snuggling into her.

"Right ..." She started but Grissom interrupted her.

"I'm staying here. I'm taking a few days holiday. I've already rung Catherine she's sorting out all the paperwork and is running the team while I'm gone."

"But ..." He placed his forefinger on her lips to quieten her.

"I'm staying here" he muttered before kissing her and sitting back into the pillows and smiling at Harmony, now almost asleep again.

Sara knew she was defeated and smiled, she wouldn't be by herself now, Grissom would be there with her. Grissom saw her smiling and relaxed, she was happy and wasn't afraid, and they would have an extra few days together. Ecklie couldn't hurt them now.

* * *

Ecklie sat in his office, idly jabbing his pen into the desk, waiting, thinking. His plan had failed, he had already waited long enough, could he wait another 9 months for her to come back? Would it still be as good in 9 months time when she was no longer pregnant? Would Grissom and Sara still be as close? Could he manage to wait? Could he get to her now anyway?

He smiled as an idea came to her. He knew that nothing could disturb Grissom and Sara's relationship, the birth of a child wouldn't separate them. The opportunity would still be there in time, but he had worked up the plan now. He could hurt them both even more than he had thought.

If he went to their home he could tell her there, he could get her fired from there and she would hate Grissom for not been there to help her, and Grissom would hate himself even more.

He could still split them up while she carried his child. The smile stayed on his face as his mind continued working, imagining. If he planned it right she could lose the child as well as Grissom, there would be no recovery from there, if she lost Grissom's child they could never get back together.

Grissom was too old to have anymore, his only chance to have any descendants would be gone, if he planned it right he could destroy Grissom, Sara, their unborn child and their whole family. If he planned it right he could tear them apart so that even their children would pay, neither could ever forgive themselves after that.


	9. Happy Home Life

_Argghh! Both my stories are lacking in any recent GSR moments, I'm having withdrawal symptoms, had to work some slight ones in at any cost. Even if they are just general not specific here._

* * *

Catherine knocked on Ecklie's office door, fighting all her urges, the one which said run away, the one which said demand answers, the one which said she shoudl slap him across the face.

She kept her face calm as she entered when told to.

"Aaah Willows. What can I do for you?" Catherine fought down a shudder as she saw the grin on Ecklie's face. She stepped into the room as little as she could without her feet been outside and held the door loosely in her hand so that it didn't shut her in the office with him where she might do something she shouldn't. She knew that she wouldn't regret it however.

"Ecklie. Glad I caught you in." She said while her mind screamed the opposite. "Just here to let you know I'll be in charge of the night shift for a little while longer. Grissom is taking a few days leave so that he can spend more time with Sara than he would just with paternity leave."

She saw the almost visible pain pass across Ecklie's face, she knew that he had been planning to visit their home. She watched as he fought to keep his feelings under control.

"Thank you for informing me Willows. I'll make a note of it." He gritted out from between clenched teeth. Catherine nodded and made her way out of the office, she had barely gone a few steps when she heard him cursing and shouting and the sound of a crash, as though he had thrown his chair across the room.

Afraid she ran until she reached the break room. She had never been sure that Ecklie could ever go through with whatever he was planning, she now knew that he would not stop until he did, she had also believed that he would never physically hurt Sara. She now knew she was wrong.

* * *

"Sara, did you want syrup with your pancakes or lemon and sugar?" Grissom called through from the kitchen. Grissom had left her sat in bed soon after he had told her he was staying at home. He had decided to go make breakfast while she tried to convince Harmony to stay asleep for a little longer or at least not to wake up so that Ella and Harmony didn't get onto different sleeping timings.

He heard a hurried shushing coming from the bedroom and smiled slightly. He loaded both options onto the tray and walked towards the bedroom.

He walked into the bedroom and saw her rocking gently with Harmony to calm her down again. Grissom slipped onto the bed next to her, "Sorry" he whispered, "I brought both to make it up to you." Sara smiled and leaned across to kiss him gently before pulling back and looking longingly at the pancakes which lay on the tray on Grissom's lap.

"Hmm, looks good." She muttered.

"Well, dig in." He replied calmly. Sara glanced meaningfully down at Harmony, "Does it look like I have a spare pair of hands right now?" She asked, making sure her voice stayed calm and quiet in order not to disturb Harmony. "Would you mind taking her for a minute so I can eat that?"

Grissom tilted his head to one side for a minute and looked thoughtful, after a minute he picked up the knife and fork and looked down at the pancakes. He calmly began cutting away a section, placed it on the fork and lifted it up to mouth level. Sara looked at him waiting to see which path he would follow and who he would take it to. He stayed still for a moment and then quickly leaned forward and ate it.

"Hey" Sara objected, Grissom simply smiled and cut another piece, Sara turned away for a moment to look at Harmony while Grissom ate only to look up a moment later to find the piece held in front of her mouth. She smiled at him and leaned forward to eat the piece. Her smile turned into a grin as she ate it. Grissom smiled at her again, "Good?" he asked.

She nodded her head, and in this way managed to feed her the whole pancake within a reasonably short time. She smiled and laid back with a contented sigh as she finished and leaned back into the pillows.

Grissom looked contented now, knowing that she was comfy, had slept and was now fed as well. He relaxed back into the pillows as well. He had barely touched the pillows properly when he heard sound coming from the girls' bedroom. Sara looked at him, his look clearly said that it was his turn now. "I'll go get her" he muttered before she said anything.

"Thank you sweetie." She called through quietly as he left.

Grissom smiled and continued walking into the bedroom. He picked up Ella and held her as she calmed down again. He made his way back into the bedroom and slid back into his former place.

They both spent the better part of the next hour happily talking and joking, playing with Harmony and Ella and laughing. Simply enjoying spending time as a family, both knowing that they wouldn't be able to do this for sometime with the new baby due soon.

After that though both Ella and Harmony were demanding to be fed and both Sara and Grissom were forced to get up in order to feed them both, Grissom making frequent comments to how the baby food looked until the Sara threatened to catapult some food at him from the spoon, he soon stopped making the comments and Sara finished feeding Ella with a hidden smile lying on her face.


	10. Stories

Ecklie sat in his chair brooding, he had to be able to still get to them somehow. But would it then be as satisfying? He looked at it from every angle he could think of until he came up with an idea which pleased him. He couldn't hurt them right now, they were together and it would be too hard. He could however still scare them and make them more prone to argue when they returned to work. And then his overall final victory would be just as sweet as before.

He contemplated the time, wondering if they would still be on night shift time or whether they would have got out of habit and trying to work out which one he would prefer. Willows had caught him at the beginning of his shift. She had to have just found out. They had to be changing to a regular schedule, probably to disrupt their two illegitimate children less, although he didn't know why on earth they would care about them.

After a moments more thought he decided that he could not wait, he had been planning and they had just robbed him, he could not wait any longer. He slowly picked up the phone, searched through the system until he found what he was looking for and dialled the number.

* * *

Sara smiled across at Grissom as he fought to keep both Ella and Harmony entertained while he washed up, she wasn't surprised when he proposed taking them outside and finding them a worm, she still said no however. She was however a little surprised when he sat them both on the sofa and began telling them a story and Sara found herself leaning against the doorframe in the kitchen watching him sitting on the sofa talking to his daughters.

He began telling a story she couldn't recognise at all. It was obviously a children's story and one he knew well. She wasn't surprised that it involved a grass-hopper. She laughed quietly and gently when finished the story and then began telling Ella and Harmony about the difference between grass-hoppers in the story and in real life. He still heard her and turned around, breaking off for a moment. He grinned sheepishly and then went back to speaking to their children, a grin still on his face.

Sara stayed leaning by the kitchen simply watching him. She smiled warmly again as he began telling another story but drew a small breath in when she saw him subconsciously signing the story as well as saying it out loud. It occurred to her was that the reason she had never heard the story was that he never had either.

She had found out more about his mother while they had been together. She had known from when he was very young that her hearing was going and had brought him up speaking and signing so that he would be able to use both. She had learned how to read his lips even as a child and used to speak to him verbally even when she could barely hear him any longer. She had never told him either that she couldn't hear him laughing or that she could only just hear his first word. He had worked it out for himself later when he had been asking her why she couldn't remember it. From that say on he had always signed at home with his mother and spoken aloud when not with her. As a result she realised he had heard and seen the stories at the same time and now did the same to his children without realising.

The amount his mother had given up and hidden from Gil had made a tear come to Sara's eye when she had first heard and she was suddenly hit by how much it would have altered him if the operation hadn't worked. She also had not mentioned to him that one ear seemed to be lapsing again, she would tell him. Until then she could just enjoy watching him.

She started when she registered that he had finished that story and was just starting a new one, she had been so lost in thought.

"Once there was a beautiful young woman with dark brown hair, who was also very clever. Now this woman had decided that she wanted to help people, so she had decided to go to school and learn how to help. She got older and decided to carry on, she went to a place called university where she learned how to catch bad guys so that the good guys could be safe.

One day a man came to where she was and started talking to her about how to catch bad guys and how she might not always know the right answer at first but that she could work it out and catch the bad guys. Now this man who came wasn't as beautiful as her but he knew about bugs and she liked him. This man liked her as well but he went away.

One day this man asked her to come and help him catch bad guys and she did. They got bad guys together for a long time. Soon, the woman wanted to have a baby and the man realised this. He asked her to dinner and she ran away. He asked her again later and she said yes, he asked her to marry him and she said yes and she had two beautiful baby girls."

Sara smiled as she realised, it was _their _story. Albeit slightly altered, the time line and the precise details but it was still theirs. As she listened she couldn't decide whether she wanted to hit him with a pillow or kiss him, she decided to stay in the doorway and listen. At that moment the phone rang, Grissom glanced at her and she nodded for him to carry on and she walked over to the phone in the kitchen and still smiling she picked it up.


	11. Phone Call

_The phone call from the views of different people, tried to work them altogether first but didn't really work, so all these are the same call and same time just different people. Felt it needed explaining. Really needing to write but not doing it well as stressed at the moment, but nm, if this chapter is too bad let me know and I will update it when I can write a better version. Thanks._

* * *

"Hello?" She asked as she picked up the phone of it's holder. The smile still fixed on her face.

All the colour rushed out of her face, the smile fell and she had to hold onto the counter to hold herself up.

"Why are you ringing me?" She asked, managing to keep her voice level and managing to sound confident. The hand which held the phone began shaking as she heard the reply.

"How did you get this number anyway? It's not on any of the forms we've handed in." She demanded, her voice beginning to quaver slightly but still sounding in control.

She slammed the phone back into its holder as she heard the reply, she let the fear she had felt wash over her and her breathing became ragged. She drew in a few deep breathes before managing to open her eyes again and look up.

* * *

Ecklie smiled slightly as Sara picked up the phone unaware of who was calling her.

"Hello?" His grin became wider, he could practically hear the smile in her voice.

"Sidle" He greeted formally, he heard a faint indrawn breath before a confident question came through the phone. He grimaced slightly, perhaps he had not rattled her as much as he though.

"Why are your ringing me?"

"Let's just say you interrupted one of my plans, don't tell me you don't know, I know that Anderson spoke to Willows, who must have told Grissom who undoubtedly told you. I just wished to inform you that this is just a minor set-back, I will still carry it out and there is nothing you can do to stop me, and your attempts will just make it sweeter for me when it works."

"How did you get this number anyway? It's not on any of the forms we handed in." He heard the reply and smiled, she was still controlling herself but he had got to her, otherwise she would have questioned about the plan or tried to deny it, not act fearful that he had her information.

"Sidle, I'm a CSI, and I'm a supervisor, I have access to the files of those in the employment of the lab, and do you really think a CSI can't find confidential out if they try? You may not be listed anywhere, but I have access to all sorts of databases, there is no way you can hide any information from me. And don't even think of changing your number, I found it once and I can find it again. You can never escape me Sidle, I will always be there, and you cannot run from me, I will always find out."

He smiled and a low chuckle escaped him as he heard the phone slammed down and the disconnected tone ring through the phone.

He had got to her, he knew it and he found a new determination within himself, not only to hurt her, but to destroy her!

* * *

Catherine walked down the corridor, scanning the results she had just received from Hodges, knowing that they had just found a link which hopefully would help the case.

She was still reading as she walked past Ecklie's office and glanced up with disgust and carried on walking, after a moment she registered what she had heard and stepped backwards outside of his office.

She had heard him say Sidle. She grew concerned at what he was planning. She carried on listening to what he was saying. He had found out Sara and Grissom's personal number. Catherine swore under her breath, if they weren't safe at home where could they be safe.

She heard a sound from her throat and realised it was from the disgust she felt, which only increased when he chuckled.

It was a low sound, which drew all the happiness out of laughter and imposed fear on it instead.

She drew the file closer and folded her arms across her chest, instinctively trying to protect herself in any way possible. She shuddered as she realised that the 'laugh' had also had determination in it and it was unmistakable. She feared from Grissom and Sara, now truly worried, it was not just an idle fancy of Ecklie's but a well-thought out plan, one which he would never give up on.

* * *

Grissom smiled at seeing Sara's pleasure as she registered his inspiration for the story. He carried on speaking to his children, just talking saying nothing in particular.

He half-listened as Sara answered the phone and grew mildly concerned when he heard her ask not who it was but why they were calling.

He immediately grew worried when he realised that it was someone who they didn't want to call them, and worked out that it was someone from work. His mind jumped to one name. Ecklie.

He was vaguely aware that he was still talking to Harmony and Ella, and didn't even realise that he was telling a story he remembered from his childhood with both his hands and words again.

He fought all his urges to get up and go to Sara now, shout at Ecklie and comfort Sara and help her. He knew she needed to do this for herself.

He heard her slam the phone down and draw in a ragged breath, his breathing matched her, even though he had not actually answered the phone.

He felt his heart go out to Sara and slowly put Ella and Harmony back down on their mat and walked over to the kitchen, he heard a sob quietly coming from the room and slowly pushed open the door, leaving it open so that he could still see Harmony and Ella.

"Honey?" He asked as he opened the door.

He had a momentary glance of Sara leaning on the worktop before she rushed towards him and clung to him.

He held her tightly and stroked her hair, murmuring to her.

"Shhh, sweetie, it's ok, shhh, it'll be fine. I love you, we'll get through it."


	12. Nightmare

Grissom simply stood there holding her close, continuing to murmur to her. After a short while he gently led her through into the living room, from there he led her through to their bedroom. As he sat them both on the bed, he leaned across her slightly and flicked the switch on the baby monitor whose twin was in the living room. He sat there, rocking Sara back and forward on the edge of the bed, and listened to the monitor, after hearing gentle murmurings from them both and recognising the sounds of their soft breathing as they began to sleep, he turned part of his attention back to Sara.

He quietly pulled her higher up the bed, lifted up a pillow and rest his back against it before cradling her close to him again, her head fitting into his neck as his chin rest on her head. He pulled back and planted a kiss on the top of her head. He looked down at her to see her eyes wide and staring but not seeing. He felt concern for her, it had been hard enough for her to tell him, and now she was reliving it again in her mind.

He shuffled down the pillows until he laying down, she barely noticed, she just clung to him even more.

After a while Grissom felt her breathing even out and noticed her eyelids flicker shut. He breathed a sigh of relief, she had fallen asleep, it was the best thing for her. He kissed the top of her head again and slid out from under her, he noticed her slight movement and retrieved a large hoodie from behind his pillow and lay this next to her. She had often commented on how it smelled like him and was almost as cuddly, and he knew it brought her comfort to where it when she was distressed, he hoped it would work here and it seemed to.

He watched her as he quielty left the room to go check on their daughters. He relaxed slightly as he walked into the living room and saw their daughters together. He sat on the couch next to them, Harmony had fallen asleep, Ella was stirring restlessly, dangerously close to waking up her sister.

Grissom quickly picked Ella up and held her close, both comforting and calming her and himself. She began growing restless again and he balanced her so that she was standing on his legs. He smiled as she looked down and gurgled, attempting to giggle, probably at how high she was. She looked back up at him. Her brown eyes almost identical to Sara's.

Ella was still happily gurgling and trying to move without falling even though Grissom's hands were holding her steady. Grissom was looking at her eyes, so much like her mother's. Ella's however didn't hold the hurt or pain Sara had in hers almost constantly. Ella didn't yet know how cruel the world could be, Grissom hoped she wouldn't find out. Sara's had only just begun developing the hope in them again and the pain was just beginning to go out of them, even when she wasn't with Grissom, Grissom also now hoped that Sara could still continue losing the pain in them. He racked his brains for any way to help Sara but was distracted when he was aware of Ella becoming heavier.

He looked at her and saw her eyes beginning to droop, he smiled, she was much more unpredictable than her sister, she could stay awake for longer and then suddenly drop. Again like her mother.

Grissom carried Ella into her and her sisters bedroom and slowly placed her down in her cot. He soothed her as hse began to stir and it wasn't long before she was asleep again. He then repeated the process with Harmony, surprising himself with just how well he could recognise the signs of moving in their sleep and moving as they almost woke up, how he knew when to stop with them both, and how he automatically altered his approach to get them to sleep without thinking about it.

He stood back and gazed at the two cots with the two girls in them for a while, simply watching them. He didn't know how long he stood there but he did notice as soon as he heard sounds coming from his and Sara's bedroom.

He hurried into the room and saw Sara, still asleep, clawing at the air around her as she struggled to break free of an invisible force holding her down and restricting her movements even in her dreams.

His felt a sharp wrench at his heart as he heard Sara shouting incomprehensible phrases, screaming for help, pleading for the force to release her, praying for something to happen.

He dashed over to the bed without a second thought, he reached out to grab her wrists to get her attention but stopped himself at the last moment, she didn't need that right now. Instead he tried calling to her.

"Sara. Sara, please honey, snap out of it, nothings happening, I'm here. Wake up. Please Sara, wake up." He was almost begging her by the end and feeling unshod tears sting the back of his eyelids, he didn't know what to do and was feeling helpless, he couldn't save her, not from things in her mind.

He cast about the room for a moment looking for anything which might help him or tell him what to do. He saw nothing and looked back at Sara.

"Sara." He said in a low authoritative voice, one he rarely used, he had tried begging and pleading and was now trying ordering.

"Sara, you will stop this now." He said in the same voice.

"Sara, please." He suddenly screamed at her in desperation, his voice going oddly hoarse and slightly high-pitched. He hoped as he saw something register and her eyelids begin opening.

Suddenly she wrenched her eyes apart but Grissom could still tell she was in the grips of the dream.

"Get away from me." She suddenly screamed, still clawing at the air. Grissom grew panicky, thinking desperately of anything he could do.

"Sara think about your daughters" He screamed, still searching for anything, anything to wake her up without hurting her more. He saw a faint flicker of recognition in her eyes and carried on, appealing to her maternal side.

The side of her that would do anything to help her children, the side of her which could go to lengths she couldn't imagine for the sake of her children.

"Wake up, you need to, for Ella and Harmony. Your daughters. The child your still carrying. They still need you Sara. I still need you." He muttered finally, desperately, almost whispering the last sentence.

"Gil?" He heard her ask quietly, her voice also hoarse, awareness now in her eyes, but the fear still remaining clearly as well.

He looked up, a tear leaking out of the corner of his eye, he brushed it away impatiently and stopped anymore leaking out as he grabbed Sara and pulled her into his embrace, holding her close to him. She clutched at him and held tightly onto the back of his T-shirt.


	13. Contractions

As she held onto him tightly she suddenly doubled-over, pulling him down with her. She released one hand and clutched at her protruding stomach while the other held tightly to Grissom's shoulder for support. They both glanced down and saw her water break.

Sara gasped as she felt another sharp stab of pain. Grissom could do nothing but look on and hold her hand. After a moment the pain subsided again and Sara began trying to breathe normally again.

Grissom was thinking surprisingly rationally. He murmured that he would be straight back to Sara before running into the other room. He grabbed the phone as he entered and began typing in a number even as he carried running, taking the phone through with him. He ran to the cupboard by the door and grabbed Sara's overnight prepared bag and dropped it by the front door.

As he dropped it the phone stopped ringing as it was picked up.

"Grissom this better be important, I've just pulled a double and I want to sleep." Catherine murmured annoyed but sleepy down the phone.

"Cath, can you get over here and look after Ella and Harmony while I take Sara to the hospital?"

"What's happened?" Catherine demanded down the phone, sure that something major had happened from Grissom's urgency, even as she began scrabbling about grabbing a pair of slacks and a t-shirt and pulling them on as she cradled the phone between her shoulder and her ear.

"Her water broke." Grissom replied shortly.

"It's more than that Grissom. Is she ok?"

"Her contractions are already hitting too close together. I think her water broke due to stress, she had just stopped having a nightmare at the time." He said quickly down the phone as he began searching for the car keys.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." Catherine replied before ending the call as she pulled the T-shirt over her head.

Grissom winced as he heard Sara gasp in pain again, he rushed back into the bedroom.

He sat on the bed slowly. "Come on Sara, we're going to the hospital. Catherine is coming to take care of Ella and Harmony. She's on her way, so we need to get you ready to go."

Sara started objecting on some imcomprehensible grounds, Grissom nodded his head encouragingly and continually murmured words of support to her as he stood her up off the bed, grabbed a pair of slacks and helped her into them and then led her towards the door. He helped her place a jacket over her shoulders and led her closer towards the door.

He unlocked the door and opened it, staying inside so that he could still hear Ella and Harmony, supporting Sara and waiting for Catherine to arrive.

A few minutes later she screeched to a halt outside the house and jumped out of the door of her car, as did Warrick, and ran full pelt up the stairs towards them.

"I've got them. I know where everything is. Go!"

She said as she ran up before Grissom could say anything.

"Warrick's driving you, you can ride in the back with Sara."

Grissom nodded once before leading Sara down the stairs speaking to her in a low calm voice all the time. He threw the keys towards Warrick who was waiting by the car. Warrick quickly pulled the back door open and helped them in before jumping into the drivers seat and driving them away quickly and smoothly so as not to disturb Sara more.

Sara gasped again as another pain hit her. Grissom held her hand and helped her threw it in what ways he could. When it had subsided Warrick spoke to Grissom.

"Catherine already called ahead, they're already expecting you at the hospital and are ready for you to get there."

Grissom nodded once before turning his attention back to Sara.

Surprisingly quickly they pulled up outside and Grissom helped Sara out of the car towards the door before Warrick drove away, freeing the area in front of the doors.

Sara doubled over part way to the door and collapsed on the ground as the pain overwhelmed everything else, holding her stomach protectively, every maternal instinct kicking in.

She no longer cared about herself or her own pain, as long as her baby survived. Which would be a miracle considering what it had been through. They all knew the baby had a slim chance of surviving.

Catherine was standing anxiously in the room watching Ella and Harmony sleep, anxiously hoping that the baby got through and that Sara did as well.

Warrick had parked the car and was running towards the door as fast as he could, hoping that it wouldn't be too late to help them both.

Grissom was bending over Sara shouting for someone, anyone who could help, to come and help Sara.

Sara was oblivious to all this. She was just aware of the dwindling movements and sense of life she felt coming from her womb.


	14. Falling Tears

_Never actually meant it to be become this ... dramatic? unbelievable? Choose any word you think suits. It just kind of happened, tried to alter it but then it seemed really really boring. Probably 'cos thinking abut my exams and having already sat 10 exams and still having another 11 to go seems to have warped my mind (more than before)._

_Please let me know what you think about where this story is going._

* * *

Sara awoke and had no idea where she was, what had happened or how long she had been unaware. She also awoke to see the back of Grissom outside of her room, and she could tell from the shaking of his shoulders that he was crying.

She looked groggily around the room, finally realising that her eyes still hadn't focused properly and that the area around her was blurry. She blinked a few times trying to clear her vision, it seemed to work although she was still in unfamiliar surroundings.

She thought back to the last things she remembered, collapsing in the drive of the hospital in front of the door. It clicked that she must be in the hospital. She looked around but could tell nothing else about what had happened, even now, after all that had happened, her mind automatically flicked into CSI mode. She reached up weakly and touched her hair , she realised it was laying limply on the pillow behind her.

The roots and a bit of the top was greasy, it had also grown a small amount, she must have been in for a few days at least, maybe a week. She glanced at her fingernails, no great noticeable difference, it must have being less than a whole week. She hardly even noticed how well she realised she knew her body if she could detect these small changes, barely registered that she was working things out. She looked towards the window and could still see the shaking figure of Grissom in the window.

She could feel sleep creeping slowly up on her but longed to speak to Grissom. She tried to call out but the voice stuck in her throat, hoarse after days of disuse. She just looked at him longingly, hoping that some how he would hear her anyway.

She felt sleep coming again and had a momentary glance of Grissom beginning to turn before it overcame her and her eyes shut.

Grissom turned around and caught a flicker of her eyes, he prayed that she was awake, but sighed and his tear stained face gazed longingly at her. She had been like this for 6 days, almost a whole week, and he was almost run out of hope.

Wiping away the tears roughly from his face he walked back into the room, not willing to let her hear him cry, he walked into the room and sat by the bed again.

He reached out, took her hand and kissed the palm. He looked at her face, so calm, so peaceful, so beautiful. Unaware of what had happened to her. Unaware that their son was fighting for his life on the floor above.

He turned her hand over and sat in silence staring at her. Feeling the need to speak to her but not knowing what he was supposed to say he did the only thing he could think of. He told her the story he had been telling Ella and Harmony earlier, only now his thumb was gently stroking her hand instead of telling the story in sign language.

He finished the story and went back to staring at her in silence. Eventually he sighed, kissed her palm once more and laid it gently at her side before leaving the room, willing back the tears.

He walked along the corridor, still willing back the tears. He forced himself to not let his emotions show as he walked towards the exit calmly.

He kept his face blank as he walked slowly, he felt the barriers threatening to break and sped up slightly until he was running out of the door, he carried on running until he was hidden behind an ambulance where he collapsed against it, then the tears could fall in earnest.

Outside Sara's room he had only being letting out the excess, now the tears fell, his whole body was racked with sobs.

He didn't know what to do, he didn't know what he could do, he didn't know what was happening now or what would happen later, he no longer believed that Sara would get through this, doubt had crept in and he could no longer shut it out.


	15. His sleeping son

Eventually he regained his composure, at least enough to know that he needed to go see Sara and see his son, if he couldn't have them with him for much longer he wanted to spend as much time with them both as he could.

He made his way up to the floor Sara was on and hesitated slightly, after a moment he turned away from the door and walked up another flight of stairs, breathing deeply and calmingly.

He walked into the section, his feet taking him there almost automatically now, he had walked this path in both directions more times than he could count in the last six days. His feet took him to stand by the cot of his son. He wasn't even named yet, it simply said "Baby Boy - Grissom/Sidle" Grissom almost mourned the fact that if his son were to die that he hadn't even been given a name yet, as though he wasn't yet loved and needed.

He gazed down at him, still so small and defenceless, it wasn't that he had been born to early to cope on his own, he was only three weeks early, he was fully developed he should be able to cope. Grissom cursed Ecklie as he gazed down at his son, if it hadn't been for him then Sara wouldn't have had the nightmare which had stressed her body so much that it had gone into labour early, his son wouldn't be lying here fighting for his life, his son would have been born healthy, he wouldn't have monitors on him, they would all be at home, Grissom, Sara, Ella, Harmony, his son.

His son had not been ready to be born and had had to be born through a Caeserean section, due to Sara's panic and agitation however it had stressed his heart and he had had a heart attack thin minutes of been born. His body was still too small to cope with it and now he lay there attached to monitors, they were still not sure how much oxygen he had lost and whether he could ever recover fully or whether his brain functions could have been altered or damaged because of it.

Grissom didn't know how long he stood there and didn't notice the people passing by, or the footsteps behind him until someone came and stood directly next to him, also gazing down at the small sleeping boy.

* * *

Grissom looked up at the man stood next to him, confused as to why someone else was looking at his son.The moment he saw the cold eyes alight with a fire he had never seen before and the contemptuous sneer his anger got the better of him. What right did they have to come and even speak to him never mind to look at his son, Ecklie did not have that right, he had lost that right a long time ago when he had touched Sara.

His eyes blazed as he looked at him, anyone knowing Grissom would have immediately seen the strength of the anger just for the fact that it was showing, anyone who knew him wouldn't have said anything and would have left him in peace. Ecklie knew him, but asked anyway.

"So how come Sidle isn't up here with you?"

"Don't you dare talk about Sara like that." Grissom spat out at Ecklie.

"It was a simple question Grissom."

"And _you_ are the reason she isn't here and why my son is laying here fighting for his life and not laying in the arms of his mother at home."

"I was nowhere near either of them at the time." Ecklie sneered back. Grissom fought every urge he felt in order to not hurt Ecklie in anyway, it was the erratic beeping og his sons heart monitor that brought his attention back to the present.

He was so worried as the nurses rushed towards them that he didn't notice when Ecklie walked quietly away backwards, smiling at the commotion, before disappearing into the stairwell and walking determinedly down one flight of stairs.


	16. Nightmare again

Grissom stood there, still unsure what to do without getting in the way, he ended up standing there silently, letting the nurses and doctor help his son, eventually the panic died down and Grissom became aware that he was shaking.

He looked weakly up at the doctor who approached him, waiting to hear the news.

"Dr. Grissom. Your sons heart is still having problems however there is still nothing extra we can do except be on the alert and keep watch on it, we should know within a few days if his condition will worsen or not, we are still unsure about original damage to his brain, but we will do all we can to find out and let you know."

Grissom merely nodded before mumbling a quick "thank you doctor" he had no idea what to say or think or how to act.

He felt something canon into the back of him as he moved closer to his son, he kept his balance and turned around, surprised to see an angry Catherine stood there.

"Grissom!" She half-panted exasperated.

"Catherine. Are you ok? Are Ella and Harmony ok? Is Sara ok?"

"Warrick is with Ella and Harmony downstairs in the paeds play area, he's cleared it to let them stay there for a bit. You need to go see Sara. Now!"

"Why? What's happened?" He asked quickly, already running towards the staircase and dashing down them, Catherine running behind him.

"She's having a nightmare I think, her heart rates risen and the nurses want to get it down to normal again. She keeps mumbling about that she doesn't want it to happen but I can't hear anything else and no-one can get through to her."

"He's already come and harassed me while I was with my son and now he's still hurting Sara." He growled between clenched teeth, even as he ran into her ward and dashed into her room.

"Sara. Sara! It's ok. I'm here, it's Gil, I'm here, he can't hurt you." He muttered hurredly to her, trying to calm her without touching her in case it aggravated her more. "Sara, listen to me, I'm not going to hurt you, no-ones going to hurt you. It's Gil, I'm here, he's never going to hurt you again, I promise."

He eyed the monitor and was relieved to notice the number go down by one, it was a good sign, Sara in her sleep reached out to him, he took her hand and murmured continually in her ear until her heart rate and her breathing returned to normal.

He breathed a sigh of relief as her hand relaxed and stopped holding his in a death grip, she was ok again now, he could relax slightly. He still held her hand though as he turned to Catherine.

"Thank you Catherine. Thank You for coming to get me. I'll stay here with Sara for a while now."

"Ok. Are you coming down to see Ella and Harmony as well soon? They'll want to see you, I can take them to the same place as yesterday if you like." Grissom nodded, his eyes already on Sara again. Catherine paused and then continued talking.

"Was she having a nightmare about Ecklie?" She asked gently, Grissom nodded but said nothing. "What did he do to her? Sara's the toughest person I know, I still don't know what actually happened to her parents only what I've guessed from the cases we've worked together, and I know it must have been bad but it still hardly effects her on most cases. But Ecklie can still do this to her, it must have been terrible."

"Neither are my story to tell Catherine. Both are Sara's stories and I can't tell them for her. She doesn't normally have that many nightmares, it's why I'm even more worried about her now." He sighed and rubbed his spare hand over his face. "I'll talk to you later Catherine."

"Ok." Catherine turned to leave before finally realising what Sara had been saying before.

"Does she normally confuse time-lines in her nightmares?" She asked carefully.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, does she normally mix what happened in the past, in her nightmare, with what is happening now?"

"No, she's always been stuck in the moment."

"And have you told her that it was a son yet that was born, or haven't you spoken to her about it?"

Grissom was now growing worried about where Catherine was taking this conversation. "I've only spoken to her about Ella and Harmony, I wanted to make sure that our son was ok before I told her and I wanted her to be awake."

"Well, she seems to think that she's seen Ecklie recently, she also knows that it's a son, and the only people who know that are the other CSI's and none of them have told her as we thought you wanted to tell her."

Grissom suddenly released Sara's hand and punched the wall with his sideways fist. He stood there sagging against the wall as he muttered.

"The bastard! I didn't even notice that he'd gone from upstairs, he just came down to this room and spoke to Sara."

"Ecklie's here? In the hospital?" Catherine asked her voice shrill.

"He's probably gone now. But yes, he was here before."

He suddenly turned away from Catherine and she knew that he wouldn't reply even if she knew what to say. She queitly turned and walked out of the room as Grissom sat down by Sara's bed again and took her hand.

"I'm so sorry. I told you before that I'd protect you and stop him hurting you, and then he still hurts you while I'm gone. I'm so sorry, I..."

His speech was interrupted. They stepped out of the bathroom and silently shut the door behind them.

"Very noble of you Gil. Not telling Catherine Sara's history. I'm impressed. Which means my secret is safe. You won't tell it as it's not 'your story to tell' and Sara won't be alive to tell it. What happened then dies with her now. Does it hurt to know that what I did to her will never be avenged? That no-one can do anything as the only proof of what I did dies with her word. Besides," The figure stepped close and bend down till his lips were level with the back of Grissom's ear before continuing. "who says they're nightmares? For all you know they could be her dreams, or even her secret dirty fantasies?"


	17. Fist Fight

_Thanks to CJS-DEPPendent, my brand new beta, and the reason this chapter is more easily understandable (good thing) than the other chapters, and why there are also less typos._

Grissom heard a low growl and realised it was coming from his own throat. His hands clenched and unclenched into fists at his sides and he slowly lifted his head up and looked coldly at Ecklie.

"Ecklie. Leave. Now." he ground out slowly in a dangerous low voice.

Ecklie smirked at him, walked around to the chair next to her bed and sat, elbows resting on his raised knee and his chin on his fingertips. He sat there in silence; watching him.

Grissom ground his teeth together before speaking to Ecklie again in the same voice "Conrad, I've always sworn that I would never be at the other end of my profession, I would never be the one being sought. Leave. Now. Before that changes."

Ecklie simply leaned back and smiled at Grissom. At that point Grissom lost what slight restrain he had left and virtually launched himself at Ecklie. Landing on him, Grissom almost dragged him out of the chair and onto the floor where he suddenly began punching him anywhere he could reach. Ecklie was too stunned to react for a moment but soon began trying to restrain Grissom while hitting him and kicking him.

Grissom screamed at him like he had never screamed before and began punching him with more vigour.

Suddenly Brass was on them as well, grabbing Grissom's arms and pulling him forcefully away. Despite Brass's superior strength Grissom's anger was stronger and Brass was struggling to drag him off Ecklie.

He finally managed it by shouting at him, "Grissom! Stop fighting, Sara wouldn't want this!" Grissom went limp at Sara's name and Brass finally managed to pull him off Ecklie. Grissom glanced at Sara and immediately felt guilty but soon the anger returned as he though of what Ecklie had done to Sara both before and now. Brass held onto his arms holding him back as Ecklie slowly got up and walked smugly to the door.

Grissom finally calmed down and Brass released him, standing at his side a hand still placed on his arm.

"Don't worry, I won't upset anything, at Sara's funeral" said Ecklie as he reached the door, emphasising the last three words making sure each one sunk in.

Before either of them could do anything, Brass was charging towards Ecklie and punched him solidly in the face. Ecklie, after checking his mouth for bleeding, smirked at Brass before walking off.

Brass shut the door firmly and made his way back into the room, him and Grissom both breathing heavily.

"Thank you Jim."

Brass nodded, "don't mention it. Thank god you finally punched that bastard though! I almost wanted to join in instead of separate you."

Grissom smiled slightly and winced at the pain this caused in his face before turning his attention back to Sara and gazing down at her. He walked back to the side of her bed and took her hand, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it gently before resting their hands, still together, back on the bed. He looked down at her for another moment before turning to look up at Brass, never releasing her hand.

"How did you know to come then anyway?"

"Catherine found me, told me Ecklie had been in the hospital and that I should come back to Sara's room in case he came back and said something to you. Looks like I made it just in time."

Grissom grunted in reply and looked back down at Sara.

Brass drew nearer as they saw her move around calmly in her sleep, and Grissom's eyes shot down to their joined hands as he felt her squeeze his hand gently.

He looked up and noticed the signs of Sara close to waking, he had seen them that often that he recognised them down to the remote twitch of her eyelids and the slight opening if her lips for a moment.

He crouched down excitedly by her bed, still holding her hand. "She's waking up" he muttered breathily, more to himself than Brass.

Brass still smiled anyway, "I'm sure she'll want to see you when she wakes up. Give her everyone's love. I'll come and see you again in about an hour; I'll bring Catherine and the tykes with me if she's up to it."

Grissom nodded slightly, never taking his eyes off Sara.

Brass quietly left the room and walked down the corridor until his feet took him to the paediatric department where the 'tykes' were playing. Catherine looked up at him.

"I had to separate them from a fist-fight. He was already there."

Catherine stood up suddenly. Brass took her arm and gently pulled her back down as he sat on the chair near hers.

"Leave them alone for a minute."

"Grissom and Ecklie? Leave them alone?" Catherine demanded her voice shrill.

"No, you daft fool. Grissom and Sara, she'll want to see him alone when she wakes up."

Catherine stared at him for a moment. "She's waking up?"

Brass looked up at her and smiled, Catherine replied with a quick smile of her own before pulling Brass into a hug.

He pulled back, a little embarrassed at the sudden contact. Warrick came up the corridor. "Are you trying to steal my girlfriend Brass?"

He looked back, "Hey 'Rick. We were just celebrating Sara waking up" Warrick stared in disbelief at the detective before pulling Catherine into another hug.

Grissom looked down at Sara, eyes seeking hers, watching as her eyelids slowly fluttered open and their eyes met.


	18. Hope of recovery

_Sorry this took so long to get up. Took me ages to finally write to a stage I was even happy to post never mind one I liked (still iffy on this version) and then comp went stupid etc. etc. couldn't log in and therefore couldn't post, also therefore couldn't review, also couldn't get onto emails so didn't know which stories had updated and so which I needed to review, will read them all soon. The next chapter should actually have the proper wake up bit in, it will come at some point. Fair warning now, probably won't update for a while (i.e. about 6 weeks) sorry._

_Just so you meant tried to make this chapter happy without falling into about 4 cliches, and so is slightly more depressing than I meant as I wussed out and didn't actually do the waking up then talking bit (you'll see) it should be in at some point._

* * *

_NOTICE TO ALL AUTHORS READING THIS: NEVER EVER EVER PUT YOUR CHARACTER INTO UNCONSCIOUSNESS IF YOU DO NOT KNOW (EXACTLY) FROM THE START WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY WAKE UP!_

* * *

Grissom looked at her carefully, almost analyzing her. He noticed the dark patches which, despite the fact that she'd been asleep for the last six days, emerged under her eyes, he noticed the flash of fear as she opened them, he noticed the fear fade as her eyes silently met his and he noticed the slight smile spreading from her cracked lips as she finally registered who was looking at her.

Sara felt the smile spread slowly her face as the blurry figure in front of resolved into the figure of Gil Grissom. She also felt the painful pull at her dry, cracked lips as she moved them again now that she was properly awake; she hadn't noticed it before, too caught up in her dream. She winced at the pain, Grissom reached wordlessly for the tumbler of water on her bedside table, complete with straw, and brought it close to her lips.

She gratefully sipped a little of the water, easing the burning pain in her mouth and allowing her to wet her lips. Grissom placed the water back on the table and looked back at her, his expression still serious.

Sara watched Grissom anxiously as the concern for her own health faded at the sight of how drawn and serious he looked. Slowly the smile dissolved from her face and was replaced with a frown of concern.

Grissom stared at Sara. After all the times he had begged her to wake up, he suddenly realised he had no idea what to say now she had. He didn't know how to tell her how sorry he was for letting Ecklie get to her, he didn't know how to tell her that she had given birth to a son she had not yet seen who was still gravely ill. He didn't know if he could ever forgive himself.

* * *

Ecklie walked down the corridor, a smirk plastered on his face as the walked out of the building, down to his car and drove home. After walking up the outside stairs and unlocking the front door, he walked in, dropped his keys on the table, walked through the dark house and stopped at a single wooden door.

He pulled a small silver key out of his pocket, slipped it in the door and turned it until the lock clicked. He placed his hand on the handle, the smirk was replaced by the anger he felt inside.

He opened the door and went in, a warm low light came on as he entered and he looked around himself, letting out a sigh of relief, the anger now changing into a terrible smile as he gazed around the room.

* * *

Catherine, Warrick and Brass all sat close together, watching as Ella and Harmony played, unaware of what was happening not so far away, unaware that they now had a new brother who was fighting for his life, unaware that their mother had finally woken up.

Despite the happiness of Sara waking up, all three adults were nervous; they had no idea what was going to happen, if she was going to be ok, if she would remain awake, if this was their last chance to see her.

The realisation that her awaking did not mean she was cured and that she and her son were still in trouble had now sunk in after the initial happiness had begun to wear off, and all three were looking as grim as Grissom was.

* * *

Ella and Harmony played happily together, using the toys from the paediatric ward, seemingly the only spark of brightness left in the group. Sara was concerned and still ill and Grissom was scared about how ill she was, if she could ever forgive him, and if he could ever forgive himself.

Catherine and Warrick sat there, hoping that Sara would get through this. They both knew her strength as a CSI to work triples without even yawning and both knew she would physically recover. However, they both feared whether she could ever recover mentally.

Brass sat there lost in thought. He cursed Ecklie and he cursed himself. He had helped Ecklie, he had stopped Grissom from hurting him only to loose his temper and lash out himself. He also sat there thinking of his best friend. He knew Sara would get through it all physically and he believed she would mentally too. But Grissom… He wondered if, even though there was no doubt Sara would forgive him, the CSI would ever forgive himself. All he could do was hope.

Ella and Harmony however knew nothing of any of this, they had no idea what had happened to their mother or the danger that both she and their father were in, they only knew that their mother had gone and their father had almost vanished. They also knew that they would both come back to them again.


	19. Waking, Lucky Kid

_Finally got round to writing this, doesn't help that I've forgotten what the plan for the rest of the story was, but here goes. Wish me luck._

* * *

Grissom opened his mouth to speak to Sara and that slight movement caused him to crumble, everything he had been holding in, everything holding him up fell away as he saw the love that was still in Sara's eyes as she gazed at him.

He became aware again, a few moments later, to find himself resting on Sara, his head buried between the crook of her neck and her shoulder, wordlessly sobbing, while she stroked his hair silently and the tears ran slowly down her own cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" he mumbled into her skin. "I didn't mean for this to happen, I should have protected you more, I should have ... I'm _so so _sorry, you've got to believe me, I didn't want this to happen. I never wanted this to happen, I wanted to keep you safe from this." He paused for a moment before whispering. "I love you, I'm sorry."

"I love you too" Sara managed to whisper hoarsely to him. He looked up at her with his tear-stained face, searching her face to see if he had heard her or whether it had been his imagination. She nodded at him earnestly, trying to get him to know she had replied and that she meant it.

Grissom's mouth slowly broke into a small smile; he gently kissed her cracked lips before embracing her again as tightly as he dared.

* * *

Brass had given up on sitting, he needed to move, to try and clear his mind before he went insane. He had tried to keep his head clear and failed completely. Unable to think about Grissom and still convinced that Sara would be fine, his mind had ended up brooding on Ecklie and the damage he had done.

"_Bastard!" _he cursed silently under his breath. He'd get him any way he could, he wouldn't get away with this completely scot free, he had hurt Sara innumerable times now and now he had done the same to Grissom and their son as well as their daughters. He found himself walking upstairs and then following the path his feet were taking him on, coming to a stop beside Grissom and Sara's son's bed. He looked down at how small he was.

"You're lucky kid, you've got 2 of the best parents you could ask for. Sure you'll argue with them, but no one could ever love you or each other more. They'll give you everything I could never give Ellie. Hope you appreciate it son, and if not, you'll have your Uncle Jim to answer to, right?"

He smiled down, a smile which was surprisingly tender for Brass, as the little boy seemed to gurgle back at him.

"See ya later kid."

He grinned and waved at the boy before walking back downstairs, thoughts untroubled, calm and happy.

* * *

_Sorry it's so short, but hey, at least I'm past this bit, and as soon as I'm back in school should hopefully have a bit more time to carry on with it at a better pace. Still need to catch up on all the new stuff I missed while I was gone._

_Please review, let me know what you think, after you were forced to wait so long for this chapter._


	20. Not strong enough yet

_OK, I need to carry on with this story, memory stick or no memory stick, so just had to re-write this chapter, but nm. Had to get it out there before I forgot about the story. Carries on from the Ecklie bit 2 chapter ago, so you might need to read that bit first._

_Also Ecklie is even scaring me now, and I made this version of him. He may have got a bit out of hand, I don't even feel like I'm controlling him anymore, o well, hopefully should still work out._

* * *

Ecklie slowly turned around the room, his terrifying grin not fading from his face, his eyes gaining a manic glow. He stared at the walls, as he turned before slowly walking to one part of the wall and stroking something on it gently he then walked around all the room, still basking in the soft golden glow he trailed his fingers gently along each wall, pausing at certain things and staring at them with obvious desire. He walked back to the centre of the room and stared at each wall in turn.

He forced himself out of the room and locked it again, depositing the key to it in a safe near the door to the room and next to a window, locking the safe and pulling the curtain across that section of wall again to hide the safe.

There was nothing else at all in the safe, only that key, laying in the centre. He took a perverse pleasure locking up the room and then hiding the key from prying eyes, as though he was keeping both his obsession (not that he saw it that way), the objects within the room and the object of the room safe, and kept only for him and no-one else.

* * *

Days had gone by, Sara was still in the hospital but recovering well, the team had been visiting regularly and usually came to see her before they all headed to work or when they had finished shift as a group. Even Brass had visited a few times. No-one except Brass and Grissom knew how deeply Ecklie had hurt Sara both recently and in the past although Catherine had guessed more than anyone could've guessed. She didn't mention to Sara that she had begun searching for what in Sara's past could have hurt her so deeply. It couldn't have been her parents or the foster homes as she had carried the twins successfully. Catherine had been searching old files and newspaper clippings for anything which had happened to Sara when she had been younger which could be coming back to haunt her now, but so far had mentioned nothing.

Brass didn't mention to Sara that Ecklie was still walking around work as though nothing had happened and not even explaining his bruises from his fight with Grissom simply glaring intensely at anyone who was going to ask.

Grissom had barely left her side, only when he was forced to, normally by a combination of Catherine and Brass, one of them staying in the room and promising not to leave her side while the other coaxed or ordered Grissom out of the room to shower or eat or just to move and see the rest of the world again. He still only left Sara when she was sleeping though, he was always the last face she saw before she slept and the first face she saw when she woke up. Both providing her with a sense of security which managed to keep any bad dreams or nightmares at bay.

She hadn't asked about her 3rd child and Grissom hadn't mentioned it. She knew that he was obviously no longer inside her but she hadn't dare voice it for fear that it would become real and the loss of her child may put her back again, she knew she wasn't strong enough yet to deal with another loss. Grissom wanted to wait until his son was healthier and wasn't hovering so close to death before he told Sara. He was gaining strength everyday but they still had no idea to what extent he had been harmed mentally or whether his physical developments may stop or become deformed. He wanted all the facts before he told Sara anything, she wasn't strong enough to cope with the loss yet, but it would be worse if she had to cope with the loss of a son whom she had gotten to know and cared about deeper than she did right now.

Grissom could still see it in her eyes though every time they spoke and the feeling returning every time she awoke and whenever she looked at Ella or Harmony. They both came to visit her regularly and were staying with Warrick and Catherine still and occasionally Brass. Lindsey was apparently thrilled to have gained two temporary sisters and had taken it upon herself to be their aunt and to look after them and watch over them.

Warrick, Catherine or Brass generally managed to bring them in for at least a few hours each day to visit, but no more than that as Sara was still tiring quickly, but wouldn't sleep while they were there wanting to spend as much time with them both as possible.

* * *

Just as Catherine hadn't mentioned her general background research into Sara's past, Brass didn't mention his interest in Ecklie's past, looking for anything he could use against Ecklie should it be needed. He was also keeping an eye on him, making sure that he didn't go anywhere near the hospital again, all the hospital staff on Sara's floor knew to call Brass if they saw him and no-one else no matter what the time. They may not be legally allowed to evict him but Brass had impressed upon them the need to tell him if they saw him and that if he went into Sara's room or her son's room or even stood at the window to either of them, that they had the right to evict him and Brass would take care of any consequences Ecklie tried to cause.

He would protect Sara from him at least until she was strong again in ever way he could. He wasn't going to let him hurt her again. That he was sure of.

_Ok, also meant to have a happier ending but should be updating sooner next time, so we can have one then.  
Please review and let me know what you think._


	21. He's Here

_Not sure if this makes it better or worse for Ecklie. You'll see. Please please please review. Fearing I may have gone too far and lost my readers._

* * *

Ecklie was going insane. His normal pattern was disrupted. He had never had any intention of going back to that hospital but was becoming more and more distracted.

He could no longer concentrate, he felt like he was losing control, whenever his mind wandered back to it he could barely breathe.

He had lost the initiative, he had lost the control he so desperately craved, he needed to reassert it.

Before he knew where he was he had left work in the middle of his shift and found himself sat outside of the hospital in his car with no recollection of ever telling his body to drive there. He sat outside staring up at the window to her floor. He realised he had already made an unconscious decision to go into the hospital, he had to at least see her, watch her, see the flash of fear in her eyes as he examined her every movement. He needed to control her again, here she was outside his control. She needed to know that he was still watching her, that he was still listening to her, that he could still punish her, that he was still in control.

He finally acted on his decision and walked into the building.

* * *

Chrissie smiled at the receptionist Diane as she laid her completed folder on the pile. She sighed and attempted blew a puff of hair off her forehead.

"Finally finished" she commented.

Diane simply laughed at her and watched as Chrissie glanced the clock.

"I've been gone a while, I should get back to my ward."

Diane grinned, "Have fun!"

"Always" Chrissie replied sarcastically, she did like her job but it was tedious sometimes. She made to turn around and head back to her floor when she did a double-take. She could've sworn she had seen ....

She had seen him, she hurried the few steps ack to Diane. "Stall that guy over there" she whispered urgently grabbing Diane's cell off the desk before running outside where she could actually get reception.

She dug in the front pocket of her uniform. It had to be there somewhere. Hands shaking she managed to pull out a scrap of paper with a few words and a phone number on.

She cursed as it continued ringing, begging the caller to pick, she glanced back and saw Diane was talking to the guy she had seen, she was sure it was him.

The phone went to answerphone, she cursed again and typed the number into the phone again with fumbling fingers.

"_Come on come on, pick up!" _she whispered under her breath into the phone.

After what seemed like an eternity the ringing stopped.

"What?" called a gruff voice harshly down the phone, Chrissie cursed again mentally as she realised he would've been asleep during the day with him working night-shift. But screw that, he needed telling, he'd told her to rign him any time day or night.

"Cap'n Brass?" she question down the phone.

"Who's asking?"

"Chrissie. I'm one of the nurses on Miss. Sidle's ward." Even down the phone she could hear him sit suddenly bolt upright, wide awake.

"What's happened?" he asked curtly.

"He's here-" she got broken off by his quick reply.

"Stall him, keep him in reception. I'm on my way" was all he said before he disconnected the phone.

Chrissie stood breathing heavily and leaned against the wall for support. She didn't know what the man had done, she didn't even know who he really was, she just knew that she didn't want to be in Sara's position as the object of his attention, and that something within her recoiled at the very sight of him.

She took a deep breath and stood up straight pulling her shoulders back as she walked back into the hospital to try and delay the visitor as much as she could.

* * *

_OK, was going to be a longer chapter_

_but this was I update quicker, so next update should hopefully be pretty soon._

_Please review (don't care if I'm sounding desperate) at least I'm not as obsessed as Ecklie._


	22. You too

Chrissie sat in the staff room, she was still shaking. She felt someone pressing a glass into her hands and looked up.

She smiled weakly at Captain Brass and took a sip of the water he had just handed her. She looked up at him.

"What did he actually do?" she asked weakly.

Brass shook his head. "I can't say. It's not my place. But if there was any justice in this world that bastard would've been killed years ago. All the teenagers with their whole lives ahead who I see going towards Doc. Robbins table everyday. All the pregnant women who died in an attempt to save their child. All the young girls coming into PD with a haunted look in their eyes, you can't even hold them to comfort them without them fearing you might touch them in a way they don't like. All those lives wasted, destroyed, damaged beyond repair, all those tragic stories, to people who didn't deserve to be hurt or killed." Brass's voice took on a new quality, a hatred so strong that Chrissie felt almost afraid of him, but she had the tears in his eyes, heard the tenderness of his voice when he had been speaking before.

"And then, _he _walks around scot free, not having to answer for anything, not even feeling guilty. _He _talks about how terrible these killers are , not realising he's worse than the lot of them. 'Cos at least most of them feel remorse, he doesn't even think what he did is wrong. He doesn't care that he makes Sara's life a living hell whenever he walks into the room, she'd already suffered enough, it's not fair. He isn't even worthy of a name, never mind the badge he wears. But I'll get him in the end, I won't hurt him, but I'll make him see what he's done, he'll pay. It might take m 10 years but I'll do it."

Chrissie reached out a hand and took hold of Brass's. He grasped it and held onto it. He looked straight at her.

"What did Sara ever do to deserve this?" he asked her. Searching for some kind of relief, some way to make it all better, for her to tell him that nothing had happened. She couldn't do anything to help him though. She shook he head softly, squeezed his hand and turned away from his gaze.

His emotions were still too raw. She knew he was seeing all the children, teenagers and young women he had mentioned earlier, knowing he hadn't been able to help those before it was too late. But she knew it wasn't too late to help Sara.

She just prayed that she was right, that their was still time.

* * *

Grissom was fuming, he paced up and down the corridor trying to calm himself down before he saw Sara again, she was sleeping, she didn't need to know that Ecklie had been around.

He sat on a chair, still breathing heavily, images flashing in his mind of what had just happened.

He had heard measured footsteps down the corridor from one direction, he hadn't paid them any attention, it was just someone walking down the hall.

He had heard running foot steps from the other direction before seeing one of Sara's nurses, he recalled her name as Chrissie, running into the room, gasping for breath, she had glanced at Sara and saw she was asleep but still motioned for Grissom to come to the corner of the room to her.

"The man's down the corridor. The one Cap'n Brass told me to stop. I tried but he's on his way. Thought I should warn you, the captain should be here soon, try not to let her wake up."

Grissom hadn't known whether to shake the nurse and get her to admit that it was all a lie or to go down the hall and strangle Ecklie, he glanced back at Sara as she murmured something, he couldn't leave her, he would stay here with her, but he would still go to the door and see how far away Ecklie was.

He stood staring as Ecklie moved closer to the room before suddenly Brass came charging out of the stairwell stairs, crashed into Ecklie and pinned him against the wall in one movement. One of the other nurses who Brass had spoken to raced forward with a sedative and injected Ecklie, it wasn't long before he was limp in Brass's grip. He hadn't seen who was holding him, so Brass was safe, and he had been stopped from seeing Sara.

Grissom had gone and sat silently with Sara, holding onto her hand as she continued to sleep on, he could hear Brass's voice outside, his low rumbling a comforting sound, explaining to the nurses that they wouldn't be in trouble, to say that Ecklie was uncontrollable and that they had had to restrain him. He could hear the guilt in the nurses' voices'.

Judging from the bruise Ecklie has given Brass as he had tried to free himself from the restraint he actually had been out of control, to have that much strength he must have been acting on adrenalin, Grissom feared what would've happened if he had come into Sara's room.

Grissom walked past the staff room, still fuming, he glanced through the window and saw Brass sat holding onto nurse Chrissie's hand. Such a simple gesture reminded him just how much he and Sara had and he became more peaceful again, he walked back into Sara's room.

* * *

Sara awoke to the soft sounds of Gil's breathing. She felt her hand in his and glanced across to see him asleep in the chair next to her, he looked exhausted. She smiled gently and stroked his hand.

He woke up and looked at Sara and a smile blossomed across his face.

He went and sat on the bed and pulled her up into the cradling warmth and comfort of his arms.

He kissed the top of her head gently.

"I love you" he whispered quietly, only just audible.

"You too" Sara muttered gently in reply before closing her eyes and sinking into his embrace blissfully unaware of what had happened while she slept. She smiled gently as she felt Gil's breathing become steady and soft again, she glanced up at his face to see his eyes shut, and reflected again how much younger he looked as he slept.

The smile remained on her face as she rested her head back on his chest again, repeating again softly.

"You too."


	23. Watching

_OK, so without realising I've landed myself with a demented, out of control, unconsious Ecklie, a Sara who still doesn't know she has a son, a son who I haven't decided whats going to happen to (ish) and a Grissom whofrom glancing at the last chapter seems to have changed places without moving. No wonder I was getting confused and didn't know where to take this story, going to start wrapping this one up now, not going to go for the ending I had planned (ish) and then will continue it in another sequel in a while when my mind has calmed down and regained control of the characters, but will start wrapping this up soon, should only take a couple of chapters, please bear with it, the next story should return to sanity and I'd love it if you could read that one._

_Thanks_

* * *

Brass had taken Ecklie home when he'd woken up, explained that he had been out of control and had already disrupted that ward many times before and they had felt that for the safety of themselves and the patients they had sedated him and then called the police so that someone who knew him could help him and Brass had got the call.

He didn't bother telling him that the nurse had called Brass personally or that had Brass had his way Ecklie wouldn't be sat there on his own couch now.

But he did tell Ecklie that he'd cleared for him to have time off work, only a few days, that he was banned from visiting the hospital except in medical emergency and that he was basically confined to his house.

Brass was slightly scared by how well he had taken all this, he'd simply sat there quietly, a smile slowly growing on his face as he heard he was confined to his home, his eyes continually darting towards one of the doors Brass could see. And other than that had done nothing, Brass had showed himself out as he noticed Ecklie heading towards the door he had been glancing at, and heard him go in calmly (after a pause) and then a scream of anger before the house fell silent again.

Brass quickly hurried to work for his shift after texting Grissom letting him know that Ecklie was home and had taken the absence from work.

He still worried, but didn't say anything, he just kept checking on Sara and checking on the twins and kept his eyes and ears open.

* * *

_OK, stupidly short chapter, but wanted all the next chapter together, one more happy GSR chapter and then The End until the new story, anybody any ideas for the name of this one, want to start it with 'Baby, ' so that it carries on from the last one. Anybody any ideas._


End file.
